Apparatus for preventing release of contaminants from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine



Aprll 10, 1956 MGKINLEY 2,741,233

APPARATUS FOR PREVENTING. RELEASE OF CONTAMINANTS FROM THE EXHAUST OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Sept. 15, 1955 CARBURETOR. 6'

U mean- 52 IRIAKER 1 INVEN TOR. A250 ,5 A/CK/A/LEV United States PatentO APPARATUS FoR PREVENTING F CONTAMINANTS- FROM THE EXHAUSTBFAN INTERNAL COMBUSTION-ENGINE I Fred B. McKinley, Paramount, Calif. Application September 15, 1955,- Serial Not-534,525

3 Claims. (Cl. 123-97).

The present invention relates generally-Ito the fieldtof internal combustion engines and 'm'ore'particularly' .to a novel apparatus for preventing the release of contaminants from the'exhaust thereof.

It is well known that'the exhaust gases *issuingirom the internal combustion engines of automotive vehicle's constitute a prime source of'th'e soecailed"smog fwhich exists in andaround theprincipal. population centers of the country. The harmful effects of this smog upon both animate and inanimate objects is'likewise verywell known. Although-many forms of apparatus for preventing the'release of contaminants from theexhaust' gase'sofsuch.

engines have-been heretofore-proposed,:such'devices have for various reasons proven'to unsatisfactory and TaCCOl'dingly are not now in general usage.

Itis a major object of the present invention .to'provide an effective apparatus 'for preventing the. release .of "contaminants from the exhaust "of an-internal'iconibustion engine.-

Another object of the inventionis to provide *anapparatus of the aforedescribed nature which may b'e readily installed upon the engine of any conventional automotive It is yet another object .lIO provide apparatus 'oflfthis nature that is foolproof and entirely automatic in operation.

A'further object is to provide apparatusof the aforedescribed nature which .does not in anyway affect. the

operation of the engine during other than deceleration conditions.

Another object is to provide apparatus sof-theaaforedescribed nature which is compact. in' size .andlight in weight.

These and other objects and advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent fromlhe following detailed description, when. takenineoniunction with the appended drawings, wherein:

Figure is a partially diagrammetric side elevationaiview of a preferred form of apparatusembodying the present invention mounted upon a conventional internal combustion engine; and

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the parts of the apparatus during deceleration of said engine.

Referring to the drawings, a preferred form of apparatus embodying the present invention is shown mounted upon the side of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold I, an exhaust manifold E, and a carburetor C. The exhaust manifold E is connected to a tail pipe T. The carburetor C is operated by means of an accelice -fitting,,14'lis connected to the horizontal leg 12 of the fitting8by means of a curved pipe 18. This pipe-18 permitsexhaust gas to be re-cycled through the intake manifold fIj A'fuel shut-off valve 29 is mounted -in the upperportion of the vertical'leg 19 of the fittings. A reecycling valve 22 is likewise mounted in thehorizontal lleg 12 of the fitting 14.

Referring now to Figure 2, during deceleration of the .enginetthe fuel shut-0E valve 20 will be arranged in a closed position while the re-cycling valve 22 will be opened. With this arrangement, during operating condi tionsof the engine other than deceleration, the carburetor C will'xbe infree communication with the intake manifold L while the re-cycling valve 22 will prevent the flow of recycled exhaust gases into the intake manifold I. During deceleration of the engine, however, the fuel shut-off valve 20'will prevent the flow of fuel from the carburetor Cito the intake manifold I. At the same time the recycling valve 22'wlll be opened so as to permit exhaust gases -to be re-cycled from the exhaust manifold E into the intake manifold I.

More particularly, both the fuel shut-ofi valve 20-and the re-cycling valve 22 may be of the butterfly type. Other types of valves, however, may also prove satisfactory.

The fuel shut-off valve 20 is pivotally supportedwithin the vertical leg 10 of the fitting 3 by means of a horizontal shaft 24. The re-cycling valve 22 is pivotally supported within-the horizontal leg 12 of the fitting 14 by a second horizontal shaft 26. The fuel shut-elf valve shaft 24 is keyed to the mid-portion of a generally V-shaped link 28. The re-cycllng valve shaft 26 is keyed to one end of a lever 30. The free end of the lever Bil and one leg of the "deceleratiomthe solenoid 36 will not be energized. Re-

fe'rring to Figure 2, at such time as the solenoid is energizedjhoweven'its plunger 34 will be partially retracted so-as'to'eifect clockwise rotation of the V-shaped link 28 "and-hence 'of both the fuel shut-off valve 2% and the recycling valve 22. Preferably, one terminal 41 of the sdlenoid'36 will be connected to ground by means of a lead '42. A second lead 44 connects the other terminal '46 'of the-solenoid to the output terminal 4-8 of a microswitch50'. This microswitch 50 is fixed to the vehicles 'fidor board 52' by means of a bracket 54. terminal 56 of the rnicroswitch S0 is connected to one side The input one circuitbreaker 58 by a lead 69. The opposite side of the circuit breaker 58 is connected to one terminal 62 of the generator G. The opposite terminal 54 of the generator G is connected to ground by a lead 66.

The accelerator pedal A is connected to the carburetor C by suitable linkage. This linkage includes a horizontally extending rod 68. Secured to the rear portion of this rod 68 is a bumper member 76. The upper end of this bumper member 70 includes a set screw '72. The front end of the set screw 72 is engageable with an actuator button 74 which protrudesfrorn the rear of the microswitch 50 when the accelerator pedal A is released. At such time as the accelerator pedal A is depressed,

however, the set screw 72 will be withdrawn from contact with the microswitch button 74. This condition is represented by Figure 1. Referring now to Figure 2, at such time as the drivers foot pressure is released from the accelerator pedal A, the bumper members set screw 72 will engage the microswitch' button 74 so as to move the parts of the microswitch to an on position. The circuit breaker 58 should be so adjusted that unless the generator G is producing apredetermined amount of electric current, the circuit between the generator G and the input terminal 56 v of the microswitch 50 will be broken. With this arrangement, during idling condit ions of the engine, the generator G will notproduce sufiicient current to maintain the circuit between the generator and the input terminal 56 closed. During deceleration conditions of the engine, however, the vehicles wheels will effect rotation of the 7 engine at a speed whichcauses the generator to produce sufiicient current as to maintain the circuit between the.

' generator and the microswitch input terminal 56 closed.

In operation, and referring to Figure 1, assuming the tracted from the microswitch button'74. Accordingly,

no electric current may pass between the generator C and the solenoid 36. The springSS will at this time be maintaining the fuel shut-off valve 20 in an open position, and the recycling valve 22 in a closed position. Referring now to Figure 2, and assuming that thejvehicle is undergoing forward motion, when the driver releasesthe accelerator pedal A, the bumper member 70 will engage and depress the microswitch button'74. At

this time, assuming the generator G is producing sufficient electric current to maintain the circuit breakerSS in a closed position, current will flow from the generator latter. The solenoids plunger 34 will then retract'so as to urge the fuel shut-oif valve 20 to a closed position and the recycling valve 22 to an open position. At this time, the flow of fuel from the carburetor C into fthe intake manifold I will cease. Concurrently, exhaust gases will be free to re-cycle from the exhaust manifold F into the intake manifold 1. Under these conditions, the contaminants usually produced by conventional engines during deceleration due to the existence of an excess of fuel within the combustion chambers cannot be produced.

intake manifold during deceleration of the engine.

Although the fuel shut-off valve 20 and the re-cycling valve 22 are shown as being biased towards their positions of Figure l by the spring 38 and as being movedto their positions of Fi ure 2 by the electric solenoid'36, it will beapparent that the operations of the spring and solenoid could be reversed whereby the spring would normally tend to bias these valves towards their position of vehicles driver is exerting downward pressure upon the accelerator pedal A, the bumper member 70 will be re: 25

'ing deceleration, said engine including an intake manifold, a carburetor, a generator and an accelerator, comprising: a fuel shut-off valve interposed'between said through the circuit breaker 58, the mic'roswitch 50 and then to the electric solenoid 36 so as to energize the Figure 2 while the solenoid would be normally energized so as to retain them in their position of Figure 1. It will also be apparent that various other modifications and changes may be made with respect to the foregoing description, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claimz 1. Apparatus for preventing release of contaminants from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine during deceleratiom said'engine including an intake manifold, a carburetor and an accelerator, comprising: a fuel shutoff valve interposed between said carburetor and said intake manifold; conduit means interconnecting said exhaust and said intake manifold; a 're-cyclingvalve interposed in said conduit means; spring means normally biasing said fuel shut-off valve open and said re-cycling valve closed; electric solenoid means directly connected to said valves whereby upon energization thereof said solenoid will close said fuel shut-off valve and concurrently open said re-cycling valve against the force of said spring means;

carburetor and said intake manifold; conduit means interconnecting said exhaust and said intake manifold; a re-cycling valve interposed in said conduit meansgmeans normally biasing said fuel shut-off valve open and said recycling valve closed; electric solenoid means directly connected to said valves whereby upon energizat ion therei of said solenoid will close said fuel shut-off valve and concurrently open said recycling valve; electric switch means operable by said accelerator for effecting energization of said solenoid means, said switch means being connected to said generator; and, a circuit breaker interposed between said generator and said switch means.

3. Apparatus for preventing release of contaminants from the exhaust of an internal combustion engine during deceleration, said engine including an intake .manifold,'a

carburetor, a generator and an accelerator, comprising: a

fuel shut-off valve interposed between said carburetor and said intake manifold; conduit means interconnecting said exhaust and said intake manifold; a re-cycling valve interposed in said conduit means; spring means normally biasing said fuel shut-ofi valve open and said re-cycling valve closed; electric solenoid means directly connected to said valves whereby upon energization thereof said solenoid will close said fuel shut-off valve and concurrently open said re-cycling valve; electric switch means operable by said accelerator for eifecting energization of said solenoid means, said switch means being'movcd to an on position when said accelerator is released, and said switch means being connected to said generator; and

' a circuit breaker interposed between said generator and said switch means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Reineke Apr. 28, 1931 Ericsson Aug. 14, 1934 

